Daizen Maeda is on his way to Celtic according to Japanese website Hochi News.
The striker has been heavily linked with a move to Scotland after starring for Yokohama Marinos where Ange Postecoglou was his manager until June when he took over as Celtic boss.
Celtic’s need for striking reinforcements has been underlined by the injuries picked up by Giorgos Giakoumakis, Albian Ajeti and Kyogo Furuhashi over the last six weeks.
Liel Abada and David Turnbull have been tried at centre forward as the hoops tried to keep on track for the title but it seems like a fresh striker is on his way for the opening of the transfer window on Saturday.
Japanese website Hochi News reports:
Yokohama FM Japan national team FW Daizen Maeda (24) will be transferred to Scotland Celtic for a limited time with a purchase option on the 29th.
Celtic is directed by Postecoglou, the former director of Yokohama FM. It is expected that the transfer will be completed next summer, and the transfer fee will be about 200 million yen. For Maeda, who scored 23 goals in J1 last season and became the top scorer, this will be his second overseas challenge since Portugal Maritimo.
The report is dated December 30 which makes naming the purchase option as the 29th seem inconsistent.
Maeda has been named in the Japan international squad for a friendly against Uzbekistan on January 22 but is likely to be pulled out of that squad if his move to Celtic is completed.
It looks very likely that with Kyogo and Tom Rogic also involved Celtic will have three players on international duty at the end of January which would allow them to request postponements of SPFL matches.
200m yen works out at £1.3m.
Multiple Japanese outlets reporting in the last 30 minutes that Daizen Maeda is expected to join Celtic on loan with a €2m purchase option to be exercised this summer.
Based on variety of sources I’d say this is done.https://t.co/nlFDWAj45p
— x Dan Orlowitz (@aishiterutokyo) December 29, 2021
??????????????????????????…??????????? https://t.co/zrYQ6hynz8 #???? #football #soccer pic.twitter.com/OyxB1GVrVf
— ?????? ??????? (@hochi_football) December 29, 2021
no deal is done till he plays in paradise nicholson has lots to do if he wants fans trust!!
Let’s just get this deal done ,then we can talk about how good he’ll be for us ,but till he is signed it’s all just bullshit,I ain’t holding my breath.